Numerous studies have shown that within industries, the propensity to
perform R&D and the amount of R&D conducted by performers are closely
related to the size of the firm, while R&D productivity declines with
firm size. These findings have been widely interpreted to indicate tha
t there is no advantage to large firm size in conducting R&D. We show
how a simple model based on the idea of R&D cost spreading can explain
the prior findings about the R&D-firm size relationship, as well as a
dditional features of the R&D-firm size relationship, implying an adva
ntage to large size in R&D.